Dallas Area Interfaith

Statement to Dallas County Commissioners’ Court

Regarding the FY 2005 Tax Rate for the Dallas County Hospital District

September 7, 2004, 9:00 a.m.

I am Theresa Comstock and am here as a leader of Dallas Area Interfaith, a diverse coalition of 60 religious institutions and schools that blanket the metroplex.

Last summer, the state of Texas cut funding to the CHIP and Medicaid programs, causing a budget crisis at Parkland Hospital. At this point, DAI made Parkland a priority in conversations, research and action. We set goals which included calling for:

1. Open and public meetings from the Parkland Board of Managers.

2. A budget adequate to restore confidence in quality service for inpatients and outpatients.

3. An increase in the Dallas County Hospital District tax rate for fiscal 2005 to meet Parkland’s budget shortfall.

We are disappointed that the Parkland Board of Managers did not ask for a tax increase. We are appalled that Parkland’s almost Billion Dollar Budget was not available for a public hearing prior to the setting of the tax rate. DAI has been attending Parkland’s Budget & Finance Meetings, and was prepared to make a statement to the Board of Commissioners on June 29^th, the date you set for a public hearing on the Parkland Budget. This meeting was cancelled.

We are now surprised and perplexed that you set the tax rate prior to publicly hearing Parkland’s Budget request. Again, we call for open and public meetings from the Commissioners’ Court and the Parkland Board.

Our organization is further disappointed that the Parkland Board is not asking for a tax increase. Instead they are mortgaging the hospital’s future. We hope that not asking for a tax increase now does not set a precedent for the future. We believe the tax rate can be increased to 26.14 cents per hundred without additional hearings. We strongly encourage the board to reconsider their budget request, and the commissioners to reconsider the tax rate. We further urge you and the Parkland Board to take strong action to secure more state and federal money to make up for Parkland’s shortfall.

Furthermore, the glaring need for growth cannot be overlooked. The wait is long for primary care, emergency care, surgery, etcetera. The demand for government-funded healthcare is growing. We want shorter wait times and better facilities for our county residents.

We look to you, the Commissioners, to the Parkland Board and administrative staff with hope that in the near future, you will submit a bond proposal. Our county hospital, built in the early 1950’s does not meet our needs in 2004. Not only do we need new hospital facilities, but additional neighborhood facilities.

We challenge you to look to the near future with courage and long-term vision, with the goal of good healthcare for all the residents of Dallas County.